Letters
by Laurie Lupin
Summary: Ginny receives a letter and some distressing information. Who will arrive to give her his unique brand of comfort?
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Harry Potter or any of JK Rowling's other amazing creations.  I'm not making a dime off this story.  I just do it for my own amusement and the reviews (hint, hint).

**Letters**

            Ginny Weasley had always enjoyed receiving mail.  It did not happen often, but when a letter (and a few feathers) unexpectedly fell from above her head and landed in her lap, a feeling of excitement would swell up inside her while her eager fingers broke the letter's seal.  She would immediately devour the text with her eyes and smile to herself at the realization that someone cared enough to write to her, even if it was from one of her many family members, which it always was.  However, the arrival of a letter was no longer an event to celebrate because, during these hectic times, they often carried unwelcome news about the Dark Lord's latest activity.  So, when Ginny discovered she was the recipient of a letter one Thursday morning, her face paled and instant worries popped into her mind.  Her fingers trembled above the seal, while she decided whether or not to read its contents.

            "Can you pass the salt, Ginny?" Ron asked without looking at her.  She swiftly tucked the epistle into the pocket of her robes before complying with Ron's request.  Luckily, but unsurprisingly, no one noticed her actions.  She continued to pick at her scrambled eggs while she considered what could be in the letter.  Her name had been carelessly scribbled across the envelope in her father's unmistakable handwriting.  Thoughts of her father, mother, and brothers sprang into her concerned head.  It was no secret to Ginny that they were working against Voldemort, doing things that she was never allowed to hear about.  Even Ron would not tell her what was happening, claiming she was too young to hear about it.  How could she possible be too young?  She was in her sixth year and a prefect with many responsibilities, but the answer must be that Ron's extra year of knowledge had made him infinitely wiser than her.

            Hermione poked Ginny in the arm with her spare hand, since her other one was being held possessively by Ron.  "You better get going to class, or else you'll be late," Hermione warned with a pleasant smile.  Ginny absent-mindedly picked up her bag and headed off towards Charms, but she soon discovered her feet were not leading her in the proper direction.  Before she knew it, she was standing outside in front of Hogwarts.  She consulted her watch and realized she would never make it to class on time, so she found a comfortable spot hidden by the trees and sat down.  Anyway, it did not really matter if she missed Charms, since Flitwick never cared if one of his best pupils skipped.  She reached into her pocket and pulled out the letter.  She looked at it for one moment before quickly opening it.

_Dear Ginny,_

_            I hope school is going well.  I'm afraid you and Ron will have to stay at Hogwarts over the Easter holidays.  Your father thinks it is for the best, and I happen to agree with him.  It is much safer for you to remain where you are for the time being.  But you may still send your robes home so I can mend them._

_            Have you read the Daily Prophet lately?  I am sure you have, but you may not have noticed an article concerning your brothers.  They were not mentioned by name, of course, but it detailed the capture of three Death Eaters by "two valiant brothers" (Fred and George).  They have never made me so proud!  Give my love to Ron, Harry, and Hermione._

_                                                                                                Love,_

_                                                                                                Mom_

            Ginny shook her head and giggled at the idea of her mother being unspeakably proud of the twins.  How many times had she yelled at them, telling them to do something meaningful with their lives?  She vaguely recalled the article and decided to ask Hermione, who kept every item concerning Death Eaters and the like, if she could see that particular copy of the newspaper.  She was not surprised that she and Ron would be stuck up at Hogwarts for another holiday.  In fact, it would seem strange if they actually did get to go home.  Forgetting her mother's words for the moment, she looked down at the discarded envelope lying on the ground and wondered why her father had written her name.  She picked it up and dug around for another piece of parchment but found nothing.  "Hmm," she murmured in wonderment.  Then a curious idea occurred to her, and she very carefully unfolded the envelope, discovering more of her father's handwriting on the inside of the paper.  Her inquisitive eyes instantly began reading this second letter.

_Dear Pumpkin,_

_            How are you doing dear?  Perhaps you noticed that I addressed the envelope, and there is a definite reason for that.  Your mother asked me to mail your letter from the ministry, and I took this chance to let you in on some information I should have told you a long time ago.  Just don't tell your mother about it.  She seems to still think of you as a little girl who won't be able to handle this.  She is being quite silly if you ask me, since she told Ron._

_            You know that Charlie has been working secretly for our side in __Romania__ for some time, but I must admit he has been doing far more dangerous things than taming dragons.  It has been nearly four months since we last heard from him, and we fear the worst.  Please do not get too worried Ginny darling.  Dumbledore has many people looking for him, and there is a strong possibility he will be found._

_            Keep getting those terrific marks and making your mother and me proud!_

_                                                                                                Love,_

_                                                                                                Dad_

            Shock was the first emotion that surged through Ginny's petite body.  She continued to stare at the letter in her hand, while its meaning registered in her brain.  For a few long moments she did not move because she was paralyzed by sadness and fear.  Suddenly, she erupted with violent sobs, dropping the letter on the ground next to the one from her mother.  How could something like this happen?  It was never supposed to be her family members dying mysteriously.  That happened to other people, not her.  She kept crying until she almost could not breathe.  Regaining some semblance of composure, she looked around for her letters, only to discover that they were no where in sight.  Oh no!  If they had blown away, then she would have to go searching for them, and she felt far too weak to do that kind of activity.  She frantically began searching the ground around her, until her puffy eyes landed on a tall someone standing behind her with her two letters in his hands.  "Are you afraid that you lost your precious letters, Weasel?" Draco Malfoy drawled while he coolly waved the two pieces of parchment in front of himself.

            "Give those back!" Ginny demanded in a hoarse voice.  She attempted to stand so she could try to grab the letters from his grasp, but her legs refused to support her.  She let out a frustrated groan, while Draco chuckled.  Of all the people to find her, why did it have to be him?  The urge to cry overcame her again, but she bit her lip and forced herself to glare at Draco in the most menacingly way she could.

            To Ginny's great surprise, Draco sat down on the ground next to her.  "Here, read this.  Then maybe you won't feel so sorry for yourself anymore."  She wiped her watery eyes and looked at the piece of parchment he had handed her.  It was a letter, but not one addressed to her.

_Dear Draco,_

_            Your last letter must surely have been a joke, but neither your father nor I can understand your attempt at humor.  Being a Malfoy, you must follow what your family dictates your destiny to be.  Your father, who is too infuriated at the moment to even speak of you in a logical manner, has intended you to be a Death Eater from the moment you were born.  We have given you everything you ever wanted, and now it is your turn to repay us.  This is not something you can argue your way out of, and why you would ever want to join the wrong side is beyond me.  Everything is arranged, and you will not stop it.  You would not wish to make an enemy of your own family.  Your father and I await your reply._

_                                                                                                Love,_

_                                                                                                Mother_

            The cold formality of Mrs. Malfoy's manner was what struck Ginny first.  She instantly compared it to her own mother's letter and wondered why Mrs. Malfoy had bothered to write "Love" at the end.  Next, the meaning of those icy words sunk into her brain, and she let her eyes fall on Draco.  He was staring at nothing in particular, deep in thought.  Ginny cleared her throat, and he looked at her.  She tried to read something into his expression, but it was just as controlled and unfeeling as ever.  "I'm sorry," Ginny mumbled as she handed him back his letter.

            "Don't be sorry," he sneered.  He tossed her letters at her, which she quickly gathered and stuffed in her pockets.  "You looked pretty pathetic sitting out here sobbing, Weasley.  I thought you were upset because you finally realized that Potter is never going to notice you."

            Ginny chuckled as much as her emotional state would allow, which caused Draco to give her a questioning look.  "I realized that a few years ago, Malfoy.  Not everyone is as hung up on him as you are," she replied with a small smile.  But before Draco could retort, Ginny continued in a more serious strain.  "So, you want to join our side, huh?  Even after that letter?"

            Draco did not bat an eye and answered, "Of course I do."  He went back to staring at nothing while he lost himself in his thoughts.  Ginny stopped to consider his past behavior for a moment.  True, he had been a complete asshole to her family and friends, but recently he had ignored, rather than insulted and berated, them.  He had been under the influence of his family for so long; perhaps he was finally seeing the light, so to speak.  She wondered how Ron or Harry would react if Draco had confessed his true allegiance to them.  "When did you start skipping class?" Draco suddenly asked without glancing towards her.

            "When did you?" she retorted.  She merely received a grunt as a reply.  "Draco?"  The use of his Christian name instantly caused his eyes to be drawn to her.  "Why?"  She was no longer talking about skipping class, and they both knew it.

            He stretched and stood up.  "Perhaps I'll tell you some other time," he paused, "Ginny."  He extended his hand towards her, and she took it so he could help her rise.  They walked back to the castle in silence, while Draco still held her hand tightly in his.

*****

A/N: Well, that story just poured out of me in one night.  I suppose it was a rare moment of creativity.  Sorry that it was not too romantic.  But since it's only a hinted at G/D, shippers and non-shippers alike can enjoy it.  Tell me what you think people.  Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I know this is shocking news, but I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, places, ideas, etc. associated with him and his world.  All those great things belong to JK Rowling.

A/N: I had not planned on writing a second chapter, but I realized that I ended the story rather abruptly.  Here is my attempt to tie up all the loose ends.  Don't forget to review at the end.

*****

            If one wishes to find a quiet place at Hogwarts on a Friday afternoon, then one need not look further than the library.  Except for a few study-holics, the room is practically deserted after classes end and the weekend begins, yet we find Ginny sitting at a table with a discarded potions book lying in front of her, enjoying this kind of peace.  Please do not think that Ginny usually spends her Friday afternoons in this manner, but she currently needed a place to relax and think.  Her mind was torn between worrying about Charlie, being angry with Ron for not telling her the "grown-up" news himself, and pondering Draco's odd behavior.  Of course, fretting about Charlie was not helping the situation at all, so she tried to be optimistic and avoid the issue.  Thinking about Ron was not much better, since his reason for not telling her about Charlie was "you would just cry and mope around like a baby."  Well, she would most certainly not do that!  Draco, however, was a completely different subject.

            During the previous day's eventful morning, Draco had continued to keep her hand in his while they walked towards the castle entrance, until Ron, Harry, and Hermione had come out of the front doors, heading towards the green houses for Herbology.  He had suddenly left her before her brother and his friends saw them together, which gave her another reason to be upset with Ron, even though she could not figure out why she should be mad about losing Draco's company.  After having a screaming match with Ron while Hermione and Harry both tried to calm them down, Ginny had finally returned to the castle and gone to her Transfiguration class.  Naturally, her mind had wandered to the same topics it was now focused on as she sat in the library.  Why would Draco Malfoy want to go against everything his family believed, and when did he start showing sympathy towards any of the Weasleys?  She was completely and utterly vexed.

            "Excuse me," a voice squeaked near her elbow.  Ginny turned her head to discover an anxious looking first year Hufflepuff boy looking at her.  "Are you Ginny Weasley?"  She replied in the affirmative.  "Umm, I'm supposed to give you this."  He handed her a letter before hurrying out of the library.  Ginny stared at the letter in her hands, quickly forgetting the boy who delivered it.  It was merely a piece of parchment folded in half with no address written on it.  She frowned at the thought of having to deal with another letter, but her curious fingers unfolded the paper in spite of her fears.

_Weasley,_

_            Are you feeling any better today?  I don't think you could look any more horrible than you did yesterday, but you never know how pathetic a weasel can be.  I am sitting in the stacks right now while I work on a letter to my mother.  Why you spend your weekends in the library is beyond me.  Maybe you should spend less time around Granger.  Keep up the studying if you want to become just as fascinating as she is._

_                                                                                                Draco Malfoy_

            Was Draco actually inviting her to join him in his own strange, round-about way?  Ginny glanced around and spotted him in the Arithmancy section with a quill in his hand, leaning over a piece of parchment.  Should she stay, or should she go?  Without thinking too much, she quickly rose and walked gracefully, well, with as much grace as she could, towards Draco.  "Hello Weasley," he said without looking up.  "Finally get sick of studying, or did your eyes play out?"

            Ginny ignored her initial urge to leave and sat down next to him.  "Hi Draco," she responded in a chipper voice.  "Such a smashing day, wouldn't you agree?"  Draco merely raised an eyebrow at her unexpected response but remained focused on his letter.  "And what is this Weasley business about?" she continued in her normal tone.  "I thought we had made it past the last name stage, but I suppose some things never change."

            He kept writing as if she had said nothing at all.  After a few moments of silence, he put his quill down.  "What do you think of this?" he asked, shoving the piece of parchment towards her.  Her eyes instantly focused on the words written evenly across the paper she held in her hands.

_Dear Mother,_

_            My last letter was definitely not meant to be taken in jest.  I have no intention of becoming a Death Eater, and I will not allow myself to be forced into doing something I do not wish to do.  After all, you and Father have always let me have my way, so my nature is not accustomed to opposition.  I had hoped that you might understand my position, Mother, but I suppose I was wrong.  I have made my decision.  No matter how many times you say I am tarnishing the Malfoy name or claim you will impose a life I do not want upon me, I will always remain firm in my choice.  There will no longer be any need for you to speak with me on this subject._

_                                                                                                Your Son,_

_                                                                                                Draco_

            "I think it gets your point across in a very direct way," Ginny said once she had digested the meaning of his letter.  Draco was certainly committed to being on the good side and going against his parents, and she had no genuine idea why.  She suddenly turned her eyes towards him and discovered he was studying her intently, but he turned his face from her a moment later.  "Have you told anyone else about your intentions?"

            He cleared his throat and replied in a low tone, "I've spoken with Dumbledore and Snape on the matter.  They were quite surprised when I told them, especially Snape."  He took the letter back from Ginny, allowing his hand to brush hers.  "I suppose I just signed my own death warrant," he said while looking at the piece of parchment and letting a strange smirk crept across his face.  Suddenly, he allowed his intense gray eyes to freely stare at Ginny.  "Am I doing the right thing?"  She opened her mouth to reply, but he silenced her with a wave of his hand.  "Don't answer that question, Ginny.  How are you feeling today, anyway?"

            Obviously, he wanted to change the subject, and she followed his lead.  After all, he was using her first name again, so she was willing to hold a civilized conversation with him.  "I'm feeling okay.  Part of me is still worried about Charlie, and the other part is furious with Ron."  She told him everything she had been thinking and feeling since she had last seen him, except anything concerning him of course.  Surprisingly, he listened to her worries and troubles and was very polite.  However, without warning, she asked, "Why?"

            His sympathetic expression changed to one of several mixed emotions.  "Because," he began, "I've seen far too many things for my conscious to let me do anything else.  I am not the same boy I was when I first came to Hogwarts.  I was arrogant and conceited, and I never thought of anyone but myself.  But my father," he said the word as if it were poison, "showed me things I would rather forget.  Now I want to be everything that he's not."  Abruptly, he paused and let a smile grace his face.  "You know your eyes are beautiful.  I almost lose myself in their brown depths."

            Ginny gave him a playful slap on the arm.  "Trying to distract me by using flattery, huh?  Well, I'm afraid that won't work on me, Draco.  And that was horribly corny.  'I almost lose myself in their brown depths,'" she said dramatically while she grabbed her heart.  "Honestly, I don't come across as a girl foolish enough to swallow that kind of sweetness, do I?"  She giggled despite her best attempts to remain serious.

            "Then maybe this will work," he said before leaning over and giving her a brief kiss.  All she could do in response was blush and look at him in surprise.  "Now I'll know what to do next time."  He took her hand in his and stood up, causing her to rise with him.  "Let's go to the Owlery, so I can get this blasted letter mailed."  Ginny smiled to herself and felt happy for the first time since breakfast the previous morning.

*****

A/N: And that's all she wrote.  Is "study-holics" an actually word?  I was trying to keep with the theme of letters, so did it work okay?  I guess it got sort of sappy towards the end, but I'm a sap at heart.  Tell me what you think by reviewing.  By the way, if anyone is worried about Charlie's fate, it all turns out fine in the end.  I'll let ya'll work out the exact details.


End file.
